Teamwork, motivation key to success of Air Force

The number of replicas of many aircraft manufactured worldwide adorning his room gives a clear picture that he has a passion for aircraft. Air Vice Marshal Roshan Gunatilleke who commands the Sri Lanka Air Force has been living with aircraft for 52 years with his father too, having commanded the Air Force.

In an exclusive interview with the Daily News at the Sri Lanka Air Force headquarters, he says the task before the Air Force is challenging. But it has faced the challenge before it effectively, forcing the enemy go on the defensive after their air attacks were neutralised.

“We have managed to uproot them from their training bases normal bases, bunkers. We have got them on the run,” he says.

He says the allegations levelled against MiG 27 deal is baseless and he stands by the decision taken by the SLAF to acquire MiG 27 fighter jets to increase its fighter capabilities.

Ranil WIJAYAPALA

Q: The role of the Air Force has undergone tremendous changes during the past few decades. How do you explain these changes ?

A: Generally the role of an Air Force is clear cut. We have to ground attack supporting the Army, Navy. The role changes. You cannot say the role changes but the application of aircraft changes, because the situation on the ground has changed. The enemy has acquired a lot of things to fire at the Security Forces, their fighting techniques have been changed. We also change our things to beat the enemy’s endeavour. In that context a fair amount has changed.

Q:With the LTTE coming out with their air capabilities in March this year the SLAF is faced with new challenge. How do you see this challenge in your estimates and calculations ? Is it a serious threat or a negligible one ?

A: Generally when we are challenged in the third dimension you have to take it seriously. However primitive, you cannot treat that situation lightly. In 2004 the Air Force while it was doing its reconnaissance flying, saw what the LTTE was trying to do by building airstrips.

So I think after the tsunami in December 2004, when we were doing our UAV reconnaissance, we saw a sort of major airstrip and actually we saw aircraft also parked on that airstrip. So that is when in the third leg we need to get this air defence system going on quickly.

So anyway we thought even it was peacetime or wartime we need to get an air defence system for Sri Lanka because any country should have its own air defence system.

However, in March as you know they managed to get in. We think it was Ling aircraft that they have. They were coming low, they were coming slow and they were coming in the night.

These are extreme conditions for any air defence system and we need to have a system to detect and a good aircraft to shoot it down and good missiles to shoot it down, before it comes close. We are very fortunate India being a very friendly country they said they will put a system here and train the people here.

We took that up. And we went on the process of establishing this system which takes actually about five years. May be ten percent of this system was established when they struck.

So we were technically not fully prepared for it although we knew this is the way should go. With that we managed to quickly acquire what other things. Things were coming from India. We needed some attack aircraft.

The main thing is to detect them very far out and shoot it down before it comes here. But we are very confident, we have trained a lot, and we are prepared to face any situation of this nature.

Q: There was a perception that the SLAF didn’t take intelligence reports about the LTTE air capabilities seriously and was not prepared to face the threat. Is there any truth behind this?

A: Well, when the first attack took place we had a few radars on the ground and we had some guns also on the ground. If we didn’t take things seriously we don’t have to add these things. Some of these equipment didn’t work the way it should have worked. So we have sorted out these matters and everything is now working the way they should work.

People have the right to express their opinion. So although we were preparing ourselves we didn’t go public on what we were doing this and that. When the first attack took place we had two radars in and there were attack guns in place. So that shows that we were getting ready to face this type of attack.

Q:In the aftermath of three air raids many measures were taken to improve the air defence system. Is there satisfactory progress in this regard?

A: It is very satisfactory. With these incidents we managed to accelerate the programme. Actually we have finished 80 per cent of the work. We have very little more to do. And that 80 per cent can definitely take charge of a threat that we saw in three attacks. We are well on the way to a establishing a fully capable air defence system with the help of India, which has played a major role.

Q: There were many controversies about the support extended by friendly nations to Sri Lanka in developing the air defence system. Could there be any threat to the sovereignty and national security of the country in this respect ?

A: There is no such threat. India volunteered to extend support. They have been good enough to do that. No country would do that. Giving equipment to us free and giving their people to train our people, wait and operate these equipment until we are quite comfortable to operate on our own. We are taking our people to India to train. So I think that is not correct for someone to say that. They are a friendly nation. I think we have a very good relationship. There is absolutely no problem.

Q: The LTTE didn’t make any attempt to pose any air threat after their final attempt to create mayhem in Colombo on April 25. But there are reports that the LTTE is engaged in training missions in the Wanni. Is there any possibility for the Tiger Air Wing to have an air raid again in any part of the country ?

A: Well a terrorist is a person that you cannot rationally deal with. So I cannot say they will come or they will not come. But they have not come so far.

We have also not just waited we have also gone and bombed their places and done a lot of damage to where we think they have their facilities. We have not seen, nor is there concrete proof that they are actually flying. Of course we are constantly alert.

Q: In your opinion is the SLAF solely responsible for defending the country from the air threats or is it a collective responsibility ?

A: Our motto is ‘Surakimu Lakambara’ (Let us protect Lanka’s skies). In that sense the Sri Lanka Air Force has the responsibility to protect airspace. In doing so we may sometime require our sister services also to help us in certain ways. But the main responsibility lies with us.

Q: The SLAF carried out many air raids in the North and East during past one year. How far has the SLAF been successful in bringing effective results from these air raids to control terror activities of the LTTE ?

A: I should say we have been very successful. Pilots have been very accurate. Very committed. Mostly flying in trying conditions, they have been very accurate in hitting targets. Actually when things started in mavil Aru, that is where all these things started, the Air Force went into offensive action immediately.

After Mavil Aru we went back to Jaffna, then we came back to Sampur, Vakarai, Kathirveli and ended up in Thoppigala. I think right throughout we have managed to hit the enemy hard, their training centres, dumps, ammo dumps, artillery gun positions, boatyards, boat manufacturing plants, communication centres, towers, everything were hit very accurately.

We have managed to uproot them from their training bases, normal bases, their bunkers and things like that. We have got them on the run. I think this helps the ground troops also in a very big way to go forward. When something happens like that everything then turns the other way.

We start going forward and build the momentum and we got to keep these things going. I am sure the LTTE terrorists must be very badly off although they are trying to show that they can do things.

But when you actually analyse them they are not doing anything. They will not conventionally fight, I think. They are very much weakened, because the Air Force is there. They will not be able to openly attack even if they want. So the Air Force has an important role to play in the future as well.

Q: There is an impression among the public that foreign pilots are deployed to carry out these air raids in the North-East. Is there any truth behind these rumours ?

A: No. There is no requirement to have foreign pilots. Because our pilots are doing the job very well. And they are locally trained. We train our own pilots and they are doing a grand job. They are very committed. I know they will continue to do a good job as they have done in the recent past. There are no foreign pilots here in Sri Lanka. Probably people couldn’t believe how accurately we were doing our job.

Q: The SLAF came under severe criticism for allegedly bombing civilian targets in the North and East. Has there been any occasion when the SLAF raided civilian targets wittingly or unwittingly?

A: The main problem was I think when a particular camp Sencholai, they accused us that the Air Force was bombing a place which had school children. I don’t think even the LTTE was aware that we were filming it from the air. This camp was in the jungle. It was proved beyond any reasonable doubt that this was not a place where there were little children or school children.

This was a training camp and the Government Media Unit at that time proved beyond any reasonable doubt that the LTTE was trying to put the blame on the Sri Lankan Government.

They tried to do that. In another incident they tried to do that but they failed to establish proof. If we had bombed a civilian set up I am sure they should be able to show the damage. They have failed to do so. So there is no absolutely truth behind this. But they have their people who had killed a lot of civilians.

Q: There is criticism against the SLAF for locating its Air Base close to the Katunayake International Airport. Is there any plan to move the Katunayake air base to another location ?

A: Well, I would say Katunayake is our only international runway. It may not be very fair to have everything there. From the civilian point of view it is not fair and from the country’s development point of view it is not fair. But we were there because we couldn’t move into another place. That is the reason. But now we are making arrangements to move out our offensive capabilities to various other places which I cannot tell at the moment. But we are going to move out quickly.

Q: The SLAF came under constant criticism for various malpractices in the process of purchasing fighter jets and other aircraft running into billions or rupees. The most recent allegation was against the MiG-27 deal. Is there any basis for these allegations ?

A: I don’t know why these people are continuing to make allegations on the MiG 27 deal. I clarified this matter earlier. They make allegations that this is an obsolete aircraft and this is an old aircraft and then they said the pilots lives are in danger because we got these aircraft to fly.

Then they say we are buying the same aircraft which we bought in 2000 at a higher price. Then they are also saying that what we rejected in 2000 we are purchasing now. These stories are actually not giving the correct picture.

Because in 2000 we purchased so many aircraft out of so many. So that does not mean that the aircraft we did not purchase were not suitable. So they have so much remaining. So if we want some more again we have to go to the same place and buy. So that was what happened in 2006. We selected four more aircraft out of them and nobody can say we rejected them in 2000.

But this is not unsuitable. Some people were saying that there should have been a competent evaluation team to see whether the SLAF needs MiG 27. But I think that they have already forgotten the fact that we already have MiG 27. So somebody would have decided in 2000 that MiGs are good - we are only adding to the fleet. So I think that point is also disproved there.

Then what we got in 2000 and 2006 there is one basic difference. In 2000 we got without overhaul. In 2006 we did the overhaul and bought. Obviously when you do overhaul you have to add the overhaul price.

Overhauls cost money. You have to remove the engine, overhaul everything. If you overhaul a car engine it will cost money. Likewise in aircraft you have to check everything. When you add that price to the 2000 price you can see in 2006, actually we have got something cheaper. So that is also is disproved.

Generally when you buy aircraft although it is out of production, you can always overhaul aircraft, give it engine hours and fly. It is flying like a new aircraft. Actually our pilots are very happy about the aircraft.

So it is absolutely untrue to say that our pilots do not like this aircraft. Pilots have said this is a good aircraft and there is a lot of power in this aircraft. But with this aircraft we are doing a lot of offensive operations against the LTTE.

May be somebody should ask them how they might say how effective this aircraft is. But in my opinion and the opinion of the all pilots who fly this, MiG 27 is good for our scenario here. But it is an old aircraft because it stopped production in a certain year.

The Kfir is older than the MiG 27. But it is a good aircraft. The MiG is younger than the Kfir. May be some people are writing things with some idea. May be if they consulted us we may be we will be able give a better picture.

We will not want to buy an aircraft that would jeopardise the security, that will put in danger our pilots’ lives. So I stand by our decision and will continue to stay with MiGs for some more time.

Q: The chances for corruption and malpractice are very high within the SLAF due to high tech operations. What are the steps you have taken to minimise those chances ?

A: Generally, in our procedure we have our tender boards and things like that. And I Chair this tender board. This is for aircraft purchases and for so many other things.

Where aircraft purchasing is concerned there is a set procedure where you indicate your requirement to the Ministry of Defence and then they appoint a Technical Evaluation Committee with Air Force people and also many civilian people.

Then you are required to go in detail and make an evaluation and then evaluate the prices. And then it comes back to us it goes to the MoD and when it goes to the Cabinet when it says it needs price negotiations. So when all these things take place only then it is approved in the Cabinet.

So it is not a procedure that takes only one or two days. And then you have to be honest yourself and do an honest evaluation. As you said chances are very high not only in the Air Force when you take any area of activity there are temptations. You have to basically do a honest jobs.

Q:Is there any procedure in place to stop corruption ?

A: There are various procedures put in place to stop corruption. But still you got to be on the right track. You have to be aware of the prices. You have to be aware of so many things.

The process goes and it is not only one institution. There are so many institutions involved. Finally it comes to Cabinet Appointed Tender Boards. So by that time it is very difficult for an individual to manipulate.

Q: There were reports about SLAF plans to purchase MiG - 29 fighter jets. There is a perception that this is an additional burden on the economy of the country. Do you agree with these arguments ?

A:Generally when you purchase new equipment it will be a strain on the economy, I know. But, then we don’t just try to purchase aircraft. There are reasons that we have to go for a new aircraft in the future. MiG 29 is not an new aircraft.

It is also an old aircraft but newer than the MiG 27, newer than the Kfir in a different level. So may be our next step one day should be for the Air Force to go for that type of aircraft. So the MiG 29 is affordable. And one day the Kfir will have to stop flying. The MiG 27 will have to stop flying. So we must plan from now actually to think of our next fighter. Because that must come into service and pilots should be comfortable in operating.

So all those things are taken into consideration before buying a new aircraft. I am in favour of the MiG 29. But we need to do a lot more evaluation If we think that is the most suitable then we will make our recommendations and buy it. But of course the MoD takes the final decision on whether we get it or not.

Q: Are you going to buy it to play an interceptor role ?

A: Of course there were certain people who are commenting adversely on the MiG 29. They are saying we don’t need it to shoot down a small LTTE aircraft. But we are not going to buy this to shoot down LTTE aircraft. We were anyway going to buy this. My recommendations to buy this Mig 29 was before this LTTE air attack.

So we are not going to buy it because of that. But MiG 29 can take this type target also. It is a good aircraft. It is built to play an interceptor role. But with various modifications coming it can play both roles very well. Air to air and air to ground. So it is a good aircraft. even Kfir can play an interceptor role.

Q: There should be a coordinated effort by all three Forces to defeat LTTE terrorism. In your view has the SLAF played its part effectively towards achieving this task ?

A: We do many roles. One is, we do independent targeting irrespective of what the Army and the Navy are doing because we can go there and raid. But in the meantime we support the Army and the Navy.

So I think we have done our task very well. And we will continue to do so and we are required to do it also, because the Air Force in this type of battle plays a major part. I think it was the combined effort of the three services and also the Police and also the STF to a certain extent that gave us very good victory in the East. We must not forget the fact that East was regained. Now it is available for the Government to develop.

Q:What are the contributing factors towards the successes behind the SLAF ?

A: One thing is we work as one team. So in any success, no one would say I did this, I did that. Not only the pilots there are engineers, air traffic controllers, ground troops, regiment people. So many people playing even a small role that contributes to the great success of the Air Force. So it is team work. It is a lot of motivation, lot of training and dedication and also in the future with the introduction of technology the effectiveness will increase, even more. So we work as one team and we would like to maintain it that way. No individual brilliance and performances. But everybody attributes it to one theme.

Q: Is the SLAF ready to face the future challenges before it effectively?

A: Of course as a Commanders we are required to think of future challenges. So while fighting now we always think about future challenges. So of course in this context it is only in the North. We have a task up there in the North. We have to play a major role in this. We continuously plan, continuously modernise, adjust to face the emerging threats.

Q: What are the changes needed in the Sri Lanka Air Force ?

A: We were a little weak in night fighting. So conceptually we will move from day capability to night capability. Of course we do a little bit of night bombing. We need to acquire skills in that area so we will continue to do so. Then we need to go for precision. There are many aspects, many things required to do to go for precision. Of course with continuous modernisation we need to go for new aircraft. Then we need to acquire air-to-air capability. We are gearing up continuously. Then we need to increase our surveillance capabilities Always to keep the LTTE under our watchful eye.

Q:Are you getting enough support from the Government to fulfil the task before the Air Force ?

A: The Defence Secretary is very experienced person. He has been a part of this war effort also. He understands the seriousness of this.

He understands how we should work out things. So it is very easy for a Service Commander to work with him because he understands the language. The President has given us independence to work, of course within certain parameters. We are free to do what we have to do.